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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 2025).

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

17719 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 39 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Jan. 15).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 19: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Saturday, August 12, 2017

Francis Tulip Quartet (aka Tulip Connection) @ Bar Tutsters, Bishop Auckland, August 10.

Francis Tulip (guitar), Joel Brown (keys), Michael Dunlop (bass), Matthew MacKellar (drums).
(Review by Steve T.)
The young lions of North East Jazz continue their triumphant run towards world domination. With less than a week to promote, the hordes were never going to turn out on a Thursday night in Bishop Auckland. Nevertheless, it was still pretty busy, including some local music luminaries and some local young musicians threatening to put their instruments on eBay.
Tutsters’ landlord, Mick McPherson, has tried his hand at Jazz before with a Tuesday night jam session featuring banjos, cornets, clarinets and, on occasion, a certain guitarist, so all credit to him for having a go.
Much of the Monk stuff featured at the Globe was stepped aside to make way for Wayne and Trane which the guitarist plans to feature with his Birmingham Conservatoire Quartet at Ushaw Jazz Festival in a couple of weeks’ time.
Central Park West from the album Coltrane Sound was a particular highlight, and Francis always illustrates his soulful side on this type of stuff, while Joel’s solo reminded me of McCoy Tyner’s sublime solo on My Favourite Things.
Just when you thought you were watching a band of seasoned professionals, they unleashed their, not altogether secret weapon, hidden around the corner from most of the punters, so I claimed my 'Matthew' seat for his first set solo.
Another secret weapon, Tony Eales, introduced the second set with his customary 'live jazz is good for you'.
More of the same but they'd now settled in with Francis coming to terms with his newly acquired arsenal of pedals, though still behind bass maestro Dunlop.
Matthew’s second set solo was even more impressive than the first; he's always had the chops but the language seems to have grown exponentially in recent times and I felt a pang of pride to have been witness to his growth.
I'd all but forgotten about Impressions, since it didn't feature at their Caff and Globe sets, so it was great to get a more structured rendition than the impromptu, brilliant, mess that blew the Caff jam session apart a while back.
A final Monk piece provided the encore but, like Matthew’s dad, and, I suspect, the landlord, they could have played all night for me.
He's keen to make this a regular thing, so with Mick Shoulder’s Friday lunchtime bash, a successful night at nearby Crook, Durham thriving and Darlo not far away, keep watching this space.
Steve T.     

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